Addition by Subtraction

Sep 15, 2017

By John F. Grimes

Weaning time is an excellent time to evaluate your cow herd and decide which cows get to remain in your herd as productive females. If they are not being productive for you, they need to be replaced by heifer calves retained from within the herd or by purchased bred females.

Cows and heifers leave operations for a variety of reasons. Ask a room full of cow-calf producers for the key reasons to cull a female from the herd. I would feel confident that the reasons would include any or all of the following factors: 1. Age or bad teeth; 2. Pregnancy status (open or aborted); 3. Temperament; 4. Other reproductive problems; 5. Economics (drought, herd reduction, market conditions); 6. Producing poor calves; 7. Physical unsoundness; 8. Udder problem; and 8. Bad eyes. While all of these factors are valid reasons for culling, I suspect that the first three factors listed who be the top reasons for culling in any given year.

Balloon teats are one example of an unsound udder. Udder problems affect milk production and consumption that in turn, impact weaning weights.

Beef producers are often disappointed when an animal has to be culled from the herd. While marketing these cull animals is commonly viewed as a loss, keep in mind that it is also a significant source of income for a herd. Surveys have shown that cull animals can contribute up to 20-25% of a herd’s gross income. Slaughter cow prices tend to be the highest and relatively steady from February to August with the lows coming in October through December. Recognize that a timely opportunity to market cull animals may be rapidly coming to a close. If you have adequate feed resources, marketing cull animals in early 2018 may be the best option.

Lack of structural soundness leads to hoof and leg problems that result in mobility concerns hampering the ability to graze.

I encourage you to view a moderate level of annual level of culling as a potential positive for the herd. Besides a supplemental source of income for the herd, a few strategic subtractions from the herd can add to its overall quality.

Source: osu.edu

Video: Lambs Are Taking Over The Farm!

In today's exciting episode of our daily sheep farming vlog at Ewetopia Farms, we witness the lambs taking over the lambing barn as it rapidly fills up. Join us as we embark on a thrilling day of managing lambs as we work on emptying lambing jugs to accommodate the lambs that just keep on coming!

We begin by providing updates on the events of the previous night and share the progress of all the lambs. Throughout the day, we engage in various tasks such as tagging, vaccinating, docking, and recording the lambs as they demonstrate their readiness to leave the lambing jugs and join the group pen. As lambs are moved in and out of the jugs, we ensure each pen is thoroughly cleaned and disinfected with lime before welcoming the next ewe and her lambs. Along the way, we encounter and resolve a few challenges related to lambing, including unplugging a ewe's teat to facilitate milk flow for her lamb's nourishment and addressing a bleeding umbilical cord on a newborn Dorset lamb. We remain hopeful for the lamb's full recovery and will keep you updated on its progress in future videos.

To conclude the day, we take a moment to relax in the group pen, reflecting on our busy day of sheep farming and cherishing the rewards of our hard work. Join us in this well-deserved break and immerse yourself in the joys of sheep farming and caring for these adorable lambs